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I think the population of game developers and their knowledge of multiplayer networking is fundamentally getting worse over time, because I see things that shou

I think the population of game developers and their knowledge of multiplayer networking is fundamentally getting worse over time, because I see things that should not be architecturally possible in a lot of newer multiplayer games. This whole thing anti-cheat thing is just a separate problem entirely, but it's so painfully exacerbated by the first.

juunpp 2y ago
The anti-cheat also goes hand in hand with the predatory business models of "always online" and micro transactions. Those things sell because of advantage over other players or just social factors in the case of cosmetics. Wouldn't be as relevant in an offline game. But now, since the game is online (for business, not technical, reasons), we need some way to keep everyone honest. I'm just hoping this entire business model dies, along with the anti-cheat and everything else with it.
janderland 2y ago
Strange take. These things are being put forward by major companies who hire very good engineers. Riot Games makes the most popular game in the entire world (League of Legends) and they use kernel-level anti-cheating. I interviewed with them and found their test to be one of the more difficult ones I’ve taken. I’m not under the impression they lack the necessary knowledge.
- tightbookkeeper 2y ago
  Poor networking -> need for anti-cheat Does not mean: Using anti-cheat -> poor networking Ops comment is absolutely true. Engineers in games who are good have high incentive to 5x their salary and lifestyle by doing anything else. This was not true in 1997. The industry also just attracts a different crowd, more adjacent to film and entertainment than it used to.
- andrewmcwatters 2y ago
  Your interview experience at one company isn’t representative of the entire industry.
a2128 2y ago
I definitely think it's just a business decision being made in some cases. Your developers have just built and demonstrated a functioning multiplayer prototype. They want to spend 3 months to rewrite some of it for better security, and 3 months to implement the missing features and make it fully functioning. You just got off a call from a sales person for an anticheat vendor who gave you a strong pitch, so you say no to the first 3 months because it's cheaper to just add anticheat than to pay 3 months of salary on this.

juunpp 2y ago

The anti-cheat also goes hand in hand with the predatory business models of "always online" and micro transactions. Those things sell because of advantage over other players or just social factors in the case of cosmetics. Wouldn't be as relevant in an offline game. But now, since the game is online (for business, not technical, reasons), we need some way to keep everyone honest. I'm just hoping this entire business model dies, along with the anti-cheat and everything else with it.

janderland 2y ago

Strange take. These things are being put forward by major companies who hire very good engineers. Riot Games makes the most popular game in the entire world (League of Legends) and they use kernel-level anti-cheating. I interviewed with them and found their test to be one of the more difficult ones I’ve taken. I’m not under the impression they lack the necessary knowledge.

tightbookkeeper 2y ago
Poor networking -> need for anti-cheat Does not mean: Using anti-cheat -> poor networking Ops comment is absolutely true. Engineers in games who are good have high incentive to 5x their salary and lifestyle by doing anything else. This was not true in 1997. The industry also just attracts a different crowd, more adjacent to film and entertainment than it used to.
andrewmcwatters 2y ago
Your interview experience at one company isn’t representative of the entire industry.

a2128 2y ago

I definitely think it's just a business decision being made in some cases. Your developers have just built and demonstrated a functioning multiplayer prototype. They want to spend 3 months to rewrite some of it for better security, and 3 months to implement the missing features and make it fully functioning. You just got off a call from a sales person for an anticheat vendor who gave you a strong pitch, so you say no to the first 3 months because it's cheaper to just add anticheat than to pay 3 months of salary on this.